Garment hanger



F. W. REEHL GARMENT HANGER Nov. 22, 1938.

Filgd Nov. 19, 1957 INVENTOR 7 F950 n/fifi/a BY v a. M- ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 22, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GARMENT HANGER Fred W. Reehl, Manhasset, N. Y. Application November 19, 1937, Serial No. 175,365 3 Claims. (Cl. 22394) This invention relates to a garment hanger and has for its object a device of improved construction and convenience in use.

A feature of the invention relates to a garment hanger having arms adapted to occupy a spread position for supporting a garment and also a partly retracted collapsed or closed position whereby the hanger when not in use occupies less space and whereby said hanger may conveniently be placed inside a garment with provisions whereby the arms may be spread to normal garment supporting position without having to reach into the garment to effect such' operation.

Another feature of the invention relates to a garment hanger having arms adapted to occupy a position for supporting a garment and a partially closed or collapsed position with means whereby the arms may be spread or collapsed, which means is located outside the garment when on the hanger.

A further feature of the invention relates to a hanger in which pivoted arms are under control of tension means, said tension means tending to spread said arms from a partially closed or collapsed position to garment supporting position, said tension means acting to collapse said arms when pressure is applied thereto. Further features and advantages and details of construction will become apparent from the following description and claims when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation showing my improved hanger in collapsed condition;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the arms of the hanger in spread or garment supporting position;

Figure 3 is an elevation showing the upper portion only of the hanger and illustrating a different manner of limiting the spread of the arms, the arms being in collapsed condition; and

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 with the arms in normal garment supporting position.

Referring to the drawing, the arms 2 are pivoted at 4. A coil spring 6 has its ends connected to each of the arms 2 near their pivotal point. The spring is coiled in such a manner that it normally tends to assume the position shown in Figure 2. When in the Figure 2 position, however, pressure on the arms of the spring 6 in the direction of the arrows will cause the arms to collapse to the Figure 1 position, in which position they may be held by a. gravity latch l pivoted at 8 to one of the arms. This latch has a slot 9 which opens upwardly and which may be moved to engage a stud III on the other arm as shown in Figure 1, thereby retaining the arms in partially closed or collapsed condition against the tendency of the spring 6 to open said arms. In this condition the hanger may be readily inserted inside a garment and when inserted, slight pressure on the spring 6 will permit the latch 1 to drop by gravity and when the spring 6 is released from pressure, the arms assume the Figure 2 position. 10

The hanger as described, may in its collapsed condition, more readily be stored when not in use and when it is to be inserted in a garment, it may be done with great convenience, especially in sweaters and garments which are buttoned or in which the neck opening is relatively small. When the hanger is inside of a garment it may be opened to garment supporting position by pressure on the spring 6 which is located outside of a garment when the garment is on the hanger.

In order that the arms may be limited in their spread position, a flexible member, such as shown at I I, Figures 1 and 2 may be provided or the limiting means shown in Figures 3 and 4 may be used instead. In this construction, the ends of the arms at their pivotal connection may be pro vided with shoulders l2 which abut when the arms are in spread condition as shown in Figure 4.

In the device as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the spring constitutes the means for holding the arms in the spread position, Figure 2, and consequently the weight of a garment which may be supported is dependent upon the power of the spring. 35 When used with light garments, such as ladies or children's dresses, the spring may be made sufiiciently powerful to support the garment without having it so strong as to make it inconvenient to collapse. However, the hanger is not necessarily limited to the support of very light garments in which the spring constitutes the sole means for holding the arms in spread condition and in Figures 3 and 4, I provide means whereby the arms may be positively held in their spread condition. For this purpose, apertures M are provided in the respective arms which apertures are so positioned that when the arms are in the expanded state, the two apertures I4 coincide 50 and a pin It may be inserted through the aligned apertures.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular illustrated embodiments herein, but the invention may be produced in such other forms as rightfully fall within the scope of the claims hereto annexed.

What I claim is:

l. A garment hanger having arms pivoted to each other, tension means connected to said arms below said pivoted point when the arms are in garment supporting position and extending above the pivotal point thereof, said tension means normally tending to spread said arms to normal garment supporting position, said tension means also acting to collapse said arms upon pressure being applied to said tension means.

2. A garment hanger having arms pivoted. to each other, tension means connected to said arms below said pivoted point when the arms are in garment supporting position and extending above the pivotal point thereof, said tension means normally tending to spread said arms to normal garment supporting position, said tension means also acting to collapse said arms upon pressure being applied to said tension means, and means for holding said arms in collapsed position.

3. A garment hanger having arms pivoted to each other and adapted to occupy a spread position for supporting a garment and a, partly collapsed position enabling the hanger to be passed through the neck opening of a garment, tension means connected to said arms below said pivot when the arms are in garment supporting position and normally tending to spread said arms fromcollapsed position to garment supporting position, means for preventing said tension means from acting and means manually operable from outside the garment when on the hanger to release said preventing means and permit said tension means to cause said arms to assume garment supporting position.

FRED W. REEHL. 

